| Issue |
Math. Model. Nat. Phenom.
Volume 6, Number 6, 2011
Biomathematics Education
|
|
|---|---|---|
| Page(s) | 136 - 158 | |
| Section | Discrete Modeling | |
| DOI | https://doi.org/10.1051/mmnp/20116608 | |
| Published online | 05 October 2011 | |
Self-Assembly of Icosahedral Viral Capsids: the Combinatorial Analysis Approach
LPTMC, Université Pierre et Marie Curie, CNRS UMR
7600, Tour 23, 5-ème , Boite 121, 4
Place Jussieu, 75005
Paris,
France
1 E-mail: richard.kerner@upmc.fr
An analysis of all possible icosahedral viral capsids is proposed. It takes into account the diversity of coat proteins and their positioning in elementary pentagonal and hexagonal configurations, leading to definite capsid size. We show that the self-organization of observed capsids during their production implies a definite composition and configuration of elementary building blocks. The exact number of different protein dimers is related to the size of a given capsid, labeled by its T-number. Simple rules determining these numbers for each value of T are deduced and certain consequences concerning the probabilities of mutations and evolution of capsid viruses are discussed.
Mathematics Subject Classification: 92B05
Key words: viral capsid growth / self-organized agglomeration / symmetry
© EDP Sciences, 2011
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